Sexual and reproductive health

Menu

Contraceptive prevalence

UNFPA/Don Hinrichsen

A couple receiving counselling on safe sex and family planning, Turkey.

Definition

Contraceptive prevalence is the percentage of women who are currently using, or whose sexual partner is currently using, at least one method of contraception, regardless of the method used. It is usually reported for married or in-union women aged 15 to 49.

Contraceptive use and unmet need for family planning are key to understanding profound changes in fertility and to improving reproductive health worldwide.

World Contraceptive data

2013 updateThe 2013 update on contraceptive prevalence presents time series data for 177 countries and areas covering, to the extent possible, the period 1990 to 2012. United Nations, Population Division.

MDG databaseThe MDG database includes regional and global estimates as well as information about data sources, methods of computation, data availability and other details.